Elizabeth BoatmanIsn’t it strange how you can drive through a neighborhood again and again and never really see it? Only when you walk it do you actually notice the details. I had this experience recently while out walking my dog. I’ve driven over Red Hill countless times but lately Jem and I have started walking it. And we’ve discovered some interesting things.
I live in southern California, outside Los Angeles, a place where look-alike tract homes are common. Red Hill doesn’t have a single house that looks like its neighbor. Some are the typical ranch house of the area while others are older. I like the variety.
The house above has been designated a historical landmark by the city. That’s pretty impressive, and it isn’t the only one located on Red Hill. These homes have mailboxes out front (ours is a community in which the post is delivered via car) and these boxes indicate that home is historic. Imagine that. I had no idea.
Once I spotted the ‘special’ mailboxes I started to look for others. To my delight I discovered that the residents of Red Hill had an interest in mailboxes that was as eclectic as the architecture of their homes.
Not all were as solid or as neat as the one above. Some had been around for a few years and like good neighbors have learned to get along together comfortably.
This little stroll, well about three miles actually, was a different kind of travel for me but one that was filled with discovery and joy.
It taught me that travel doesn’t mean spending a lot of money and flying off to exotic places. It can be as simple as exploring one’s own backyard.
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